Cherry tree named ‘SPC424’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of Prunus avium tree named ‘SPC424’ that is characterized by its very late fruit harvest, its flowers that are self-fertile, its large fruit with a desirable appearance, its fruit with a low level of natural splitting, and its fruit with good storage potential in regular air MAP bag.

Botanical classification: Prunus avium.

Variety denomination: ‘SPC424’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Prunus avium and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘SPC424’. ‘SPC424’ is a new cultivar of sweet cherry tree grown for fruit production.

The new cultivar of Prunus arose from a breeding program conducted by the Inventor at a research center in Summerland, B.C., Canada with the goal of developing a new cultivar of cherry tree with improved fruit appearance, taste, firmness, flesh texture, productivity, precocity, harvest timing, and split resistance with improved tree quality and disease resistance.

The new cultivar arose from open pollination of ‘SPC103’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 26,645) in 1997. The male parent is therefore unknown. The Inventor selected ‘SPC424’ as a single unique plant amongst the resulting seedlings in 2004.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by budding onto Mazzard (not patented) rootstock under the direction of the Inventor in Summerland, B.C., Canada in 2005. Asexual propagation by budding has determined that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘SPC424’ as a unique cultivar of cherry tree.

-   -   1. ‘SPC424’ exhibits a very late fruit harvest.     -   2. ‘SPC424’ exhibits flowers that are self-fertile.     -   3. ‘SPC424’ exhibits large fruit with a desirable appearance.     -   4. ‘SPC424’ exhibits fruit with a low level of natural         splitting.     -   5. ‘SPC424’ exhibits fruit with good storage potential in         regular air MAP (Modified Atmosphere packaging) bag.

The female parent, ‘SPC103’, differs from ‘SPC424’ in having an earlier harvest time and fruit that are smaller in size. ‘SPC424’ can be most closely compared to the cultivars ‘Sweetheart’ (not patented) and ‘13S2009’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,551). ‘Sweetheart’ is similar to ‘SPC424’ in having flowers that are self-fertile and having fruit with a low susceptibility to natural splitting. ‘Sweetheart’ differs from ‘SPC424’ in having fruit that are smaller in size and less firm with a much earlier harvest period. ‘13S2009’ is similar to ‘SPC424’ in having fruit with excellent eating attributes and dark red in color and flowers that are self-fertile. ‘13S2009’ differs from ‘SPC424’ in having fruit that is less firm, smaller in size with an earlier harvest period and an earlier blooming period.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR

The Applicant asserts that no publications or advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale, or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor. The Applicant claims a prior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filing date. Disclosure included but may not be limited to a website listing by ANFIC Fruit Variety Catalogue (as a trial variety).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying color photograph illustrates the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of ‘SPC424’ on a 17-year-old tree as grown in a trial plot in Summerland, B.C., Canada.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a view of a cluster of fruit of ‘SPC424’.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the flowers of ‘SPC424’.

The colors in the photograph are as close as possible with the digital photography techniques available, the color values cited in the detailed botanical description accurately describe the colors of the cherry tree.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of 17-year-old trees as grown in a trial plot in Summerland, B.C., Canada. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2001 Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:     -   -   Plant habit.—Upright and spreading with medium crown             density.         -   Height and spread.—Reaches about 4 m in height and about 2.4             m in spread when grown on Mazzard rootstock in a 2.4 m by             4.5 m training pattern.         -   Cold hardiness.—To at least U.S.D.A. Zone 6.         -   Diseases and pests.—No susceptibility or resistance to             diseases or pests has been observed.         -   Root description.—Fibrous, freely branched.         -   Propagation.—Budding onto Mazzard rootstock.         -   Growth rate.—Moderate to vigorous. -   Trunk description:     -   -   Size of trunk.—29 cm in diameter measured 30 cm above soil             level.         -   Bark color.—187A, lenticels 197D.         -   Bark texture.—Young stems; smooth with slightly raised bumps             (10%), older bark; rugose and rough texture, 197D in color. -   Description of dormant shoots (one year-old):     -   -   Pubescence.—None.         -   Shoot size.—Average of 70.5 cm in length and 1.14 cm in             width at basal end.         -   Anthocyanin presence.—None.         -   Thickness of shoot at center of middle internode.—Medium;             average of 8 mm.         -   Bark color.—165A, lenticels 163D.         -   Shoot angle.—Erect.         -   Lenticels.—Numerous.         -   Branch internode length.—Medium.         -   Vegetative buds.—Large in size, 5.1 mm in length and 3.6 mm             in width, conical to round in shape, adpressed to held             slightly out from shoot, support is medium. -   Description of growing shoots:     -   -   Color of growing tip of shoot.—144B.         -   Pubescence of shoots tip.—None.         -   Anthocyanin presence.—None. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf shape.—Broadly obovate to elliptical.         -   Leaf division.—Simple.         -   Leaf base.—Rounded.         -   Leaf apex.—Acute and acuminate at very tip.         -   Leaf fragrance.—None.         -   Leaf burst.—Early in the beginning of full flowering.         -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, not prominent, color; upper surface             matches leaf color except midrib 145C.         -   Leaf margins.—Biserrate.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate.         -   Leaf aspect.—Slightly concave and held horizontal to oblique             downward in relation to shoot.         -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.         -   Leaf surface.—Glabrous and slightly glossy on upper surface             and weakly to moderately pubescent on lower surface.         -   Leaf size.—Average of 14.1 cm in length and 7.3 cm in width.         -   Leaf internodes.—Average of 4.3 cm.         -   Leaf color.—Newly expanded leaves upper surface; 146A, newly             expanded leaves lower surface; 147B, mature leaves upper             surface; 137A, mature leaves lower surface; 137C.         -   Petioles.—Average of 3.7 cm in length and 2.3 mm in width,             187A to 187B in color with anthocyanins, glabrous surface. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Blooming period.—Mid to late; in sweet cherry bloom season             in Summerland BC, Canada.         -   Inflorescence type.—Clusters of single flowers.         -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—An average of 5 days.         -   Flower fragrance.—Faint.         -   Flower quantity.—Average of 3 to 5 per inflorescence.         -   Flower type.—Rotate corolla above an elongated calyx with             stamens and pistil extended.         -   Flower size.—Average of 3.7 cm in diameter.         -   Calyx.—Comprised of sepals fused into an ovoid base with             un-fused portions spreading at apex.         -   Sepals.—5, 146D in color on upper and lower surface,             glabrous on both surfaces, about 6.6 mm in length with             un-fused portions about 4.1 mm in width, entire glandular             margin, attenuate apex, fused base.         -   Petals.—5, broadly elliptic in shape, un-fused, thin and             papery substance, smooth margin, acute base, emarginate             apex, about 1.63 cm in length and 1.24 cm in width, both             surfaces 146B in color.         -   Pedicels.—Average of 1.82 cm in length, 1.3 mm in width,             146B in color, glabrous surface.         -   Rachis.—Glabrous surface, flowers lightly compacted with             whorled arrangement. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Gynoecium.—Pistil; 1, about 1.8 cm in length and extending             beyond perianth, style; 151A in color, 1.5 cm in length and             <1 mm in width, stigma; is about <1 mm in diameter, 153C in             color, ovary; superior, glabrous, 144C in color, nectarines;             round, 61A in color.         -   Androecium.—Stamens; 39, base adnate to calyx, filaments;             155D in color, about 1.37 cm in length and <1 mm in width,             anthers; 162A in color, dorsifixed, pollen; abundant in             quantity, 162A in color.         -   Fertility.—Self-fertile. -   Fruit description:     -   -   Fruit type.—Drupe.         -   Fruit shape.—Kidney.         -   Fruit apex.—Flat with low susceptibility to rain induced             cracking.         -   Fruit size.—Large, 3.1 cm in length and 2.6 cm in width.         -   Fruit firmness.—Firm.         -   Fruit set.—Low to medium on Mazzard.         -   Fruit stalk.—Medium in length and thickness; 4.2 cm in             length and 1.2 mm wide, surface smooth with fine             longitudinal striations, 145B in color.         -   Fruit bearing.—Intermediate precocity.         -   No of fruit per cluster.—1 to 2, typically 1.         -   Skin color.—53A and 187A when ripe, covered with spots 183D.         -   Harvest date.—Late to very late; in Summerland, BC, Canada.         -   Skin surface.—Glossy and glabrous.         -   Skin suture.—Moderate prominence.         -   Flesh color.—50C and 53A.         -   Juice.—Medium juiciness and 53A in color.         -   Flesh texture.—Fleshy, moderately juicy.         -   Apex end.—Size small and color 166D.         -   Flavor.—Medium sweetness.         -   Fruit use.—Fresh fruit.         -   Weight.—11.4 g.         -   Brix.—22.6%.         -   Acidity.—12.3 TA (ml of NaOH).         -   Storage life.—Up to +6 weeks at 1° C.) in a MAP bag.         -   Productivity.—6,000 to 8,000 lbs. per acre.         -   Seeds.—1 stone per berry, 164D in color, medium in size;             average of 1.11 mm in length and 1.05 cm in width and medium             in comparison to fruit, shape; lateral view is symmetrical,             slight semi-adherent to flesh, front view is broadly             elliptic, basal view is round, keel is strongly developed. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Prunus tree named ‘SPC424’ as herein illustrated and described. 